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founder

1
[ foun-der ]
/ ˈfaʊn dər /
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See synonyms for: founder / foundered / founders on Thesaurus.com
noun
a person who founds or establishes something, as a company or institution.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
candystring
candyfloss
candypuff
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Origin of founder

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English found(o)ur, foundere, fundre “original builder of a city, church, castle, or city; founder of a country,” from Anglo-French fundur, from Old French fondeor, from Latin fundātōr-, stem of fundātor; see origin at found1;see also -er1

Words nearby founder

foundation, foundational, foundation garment, foundation stone, foundation subjects, founder, founder effect, founderous, founders' shares, founder's type, founding father

Other definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder2
[ foun-der ]
/ ˈfaʊn dər /
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
to cause to fill with water and sink: Rough seas had foundered the ship in mid-ocean.
Veterinary Pathology. to cause (a horse) to break down, go lame, or suffer from laminitis.
noun
Veterinary Pathology. laminitis.

OTHER WORDS FOR founder

2 collapse, succumb, topple, sink.
3 perish, flop.
See synonyms for founder on Thesaurus.com

Origin of founder

2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English foundren, funder, fonder, from Old French fondrer “to plunge to the bottom, submerge,” from Vulgar Latin fundorāre (unattested), derivative of fundor-, an s-stem noun interpreted as stem of Latin fundus, actually an o-stem noun (stem fund- ) “bottom”

OTHER WORDS FROM founder

un·foun·dered, adjectiveun·foun·der·ing, adjective

Other definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder3
[ foun-der ]
/ ˈfaʊn dər /
noun
a person who founds or casts metal, glass, etc.

Origin of founder

3
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English foundour, founder, from Old French fondeur, from fondre “to melt, cast”; see origin at found3, -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to founder

architect, author, benefactor, builder, creator, designer, inventor, organizer, patron, planner, abort, break down, fall through, stumble, beginner, constructor, framer, generator, initiator, maker

How to use founder in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for founder (1 of 3)

founder1
/ (ˈfaʊndə) /
noun
a person who establishes an institution, company, society, etc

Word Origin for founder

C14: see found ²

British Dictionary definitions for founder (2 of 3)

founder2
/ (ˈfaʊndə) /
verb (intr)
noun
vet science another name for laminitis

Word Origin for founder

C13: from Old French fondrer to submerge, from Latin fundus bottom; see found ²

usage for founder

Founder is sometimes wrongly used where flounder is meant: this unexpected turn of events left him floundering (not foundering)

British Dictionary definitions for founder (3 of 3)

founder3
/ (ˈfaʊndə) /
noun
  1. a person who makes metal castings
  2. (in combination)an iron founder

Word Origin for founder

C15: see found ³
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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